Kinescope socket with spark gap

ABSTRACT

A SPARK GAP KINESCOPE SOCKET WHEREIN THE SPACING OF THE SPARK GAP IS MAINTAINED CONSTANT. THE SOCKET INCLUDES A SOCKET BODY WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS FOR RECEIVING THE TERMINAL PINS OF A TELEVISION PICTURE TUBE. A GENERALLY L-SHAPED METAL CONTACT IS POSITIONED WITHIN THE SOCKET BODY IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF THE PINRECEIVING OPENINGS, AND A LEAD WIRE IS CONNECTED TO EACH METAL CONTACT AND EXTENDS OUTWARDLY FROM THE SOCKET BODY. A BACK PLATE IS SECURED TO THE SOCKET BLDY IN COVERING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE METAL CONTACTS, AND A METAL CONDUCTING PLATE IS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE METAL CONTACTS AND THE BACK PLATE. THE CONDUCTING PLATE IS PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS ALIGNED WITH THE METAL CONTACTS AND A PLURALITY OF CONDUCTING PINS EXTENDS FROM THE BACK PLATE THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN THE CONDUCTING PLATE INTO ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE METAL CONTACTS. EACH PIN IS SECURED AGAINST TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT BY THE BACK PLATE, AND THE PERIPHERY OF EACH CONDUCTING PIN IS SPACED FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE ASSOCIATED CONDUCTING PLATE OPENING TO PROVIDE A SPARK GAP.

B. J. LEIMONTAS ET AL KINESCOPE SOCKET WITH SPARK GAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Jan. 5, 1971 Filed Dec. 16, 1969 FIG. I

28 db B6 5 mm 2| INVEN'I' BRUNO J. LEIMO S EDSON M. PARADISE smaflaug ,00m

02 Lag? l ATT'YS Jan. 5, 1971 B. J. LEIMONTAS ET AL 3,553,727

KINESCOPE SOCKET WITH SPARK GAP Filed Dec. 16, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 83b70 62 I INVENTORSI BRUNO J. LEIMONTAS EDSON M. PARADISE ATT'YS UnitedStates Patent O [1.5. C]. 313-325 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Aspark gap kinescope socket wherein the spacing of the spark gap ismaintained constant. The socket includes a socket body which is providedwith a plurality of openings for receiving the terminal pins of atelevision picture tube. A generally L-shaped metal contact ispositioned within the socket body in alignment with each of thepinreceiving openings, and a lead wire is connected to each metalcontact and extends outwardly from the socket body. A back plate issecured to the socket body in covering relationship with the metalcontacts, and a metal conducting plate is interposed between the metalcontacts and the back plate. The conducting plate is provided with aplurality of openings aligned with the metal contacts, and a pluralityof conducting pins extends from the back plate through the openings inthe conducting plate into electrical engagement with the metal contacts.Each pin is secured against transverse movement by the back plate, andthe periphery of each conducting pin is spaced from the periphery of theassociated conducting plate opening to provide a spark gap.

RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of ourprior copending application entitled Spark Gap Picture Tube Socket, Ser.No. 748,433, filed July 29, 1968, now Pat. No. 3,502,933.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to spark gap kinescope socketsparticularly suitable for television picture tubes.

While spark gap sockets for picture tubes have been provided in thepast, these sockets have encountered some difficulties. For example, US.Pat. Nos. 3,277,910, 3,240,980, 3,251,016, and 3,377,612, all relate tospark gap sockets. The sockets described in these patents provide aspark gap or electrical spacing between the terminal pin-receiving metalcontacts and a conductor ring positioned within the socket body. Acommon problem with these sockets is that, for a number of reasons, thisspacing might not always be accurately maintained. For example, theconductor ring and the various insulating wafers or plates may warp ormove axially with respect to the terminal pins and the metal contacts,or the metal contacts may move with respect to the conductor ring. Thespark gaps for the voltages involved are relatively small, and a shiftin spacing of a few thousandths of an inch changes the voltage breakdownvalues considerably.

It will be appreciated that when the socket is engaged with the picturetube, the terminal pins of the tube must be forced into thepin-receiving sleeves of the metal contacts, and the position of themetal contacts within the socket body may thereby be changed. Indeed,float" or free movement of the tube pin contacts in a directiontransverse to the tube pins is desirable for self-alignment during theengagement of the picture tube with the socket, as a rigid constructionmakes the mating a force fit during which the contacts can be distortedcausing mechanical pressure on the tube parts and thereby affectingpositive electrical contact. This may cause high values of contactresistance and inconsistency of electrical contact which may introducenoise in the circuit. Further, after the socket is positioned on thepicture tube, the lead wires attached to the metal contacts are thenconnected to the appropriate components within the television set, andthis step may cause the metal contacts to be pulled or twisted slightlyout of position. The spacing which provides the spark gap may betypically of the order of thousandths of an inch, and even a slightchange in the position of the metal contact with respect to theconductor ring can cause a substantial variance in the voltage at whicharcing will occur between these parts.

Further, in these prior sockets arcing may occur adjacent to theinsulating wafer, and the wafer may become carbonized. Subsequent arcingmay track across the carbonized area of the insulator, and the breakdownvoltage will be reduced.

SUMMARY The socket disclosed in our said application Ser. No. 748,43provides a constant spark gap by maintaining a fixed relationshipbetween the conducting pins and the conducting plate, each of which aresecured to the insu lating wafer. We have now found that a socket can beprovided with a constant spark gap even when the insulating wafer iseliminated. The conducting pins and the conducting plate are maintainedin constant, fixed positions with respect to each other by locatingmeans on the back plate of the socket. Each conducting pin extends fromthe back plate through an opening in the conducting plate intoelectrical engagement with a metal contact, and the spark gap isprovided between the periphery of the conducting pin and the peripheryof the conducting plate. The locator means for the conducting plate alsospaces the conducting plate away from the back plate, and support meanson the socket body spaces the conducting plate away from the metalcontacts. Arcing thereby occurs completely within an air dielectric, andthis air dielectric is self-recovering so that repetitious results canbe obtained by the spark gap in the socket. The size of the pin and thediameter of the openings in the conducting plate can be very accuratelyregulated, and the spacing which provides the arc gap can be accuratelycontrolled. The diameter of each of the openings in the conducting platecan be varied depending upon the breakdown voltage desired, and theconducting pins maintain electrical engagement with the metal contacts:at all times even when the metal contacts move as a result of normaluse of the socket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be explained inconjunction with an illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in Which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kinescope socketembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the socket illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the socket;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the back plate taken along the line 66 of FIG.4;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the conducting plate taken along the line 77 ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the socket body taken along the line 88 of FIG.4;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the back plate and conducting plate aswould be seen along the line 99 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 1010 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the back plate withconducting plate.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, thenumeral designates generally a television picture tube socket whichincludes a socket body 21 formed of suitable insulating material such aspolypropylene, general purpose phenolic, glass alkyd, or the like. Thesocket body 21 includes a base portion 22 having a fiat upper surface 23and a depending perimetric side wall 24, and a socket portion 25 whichextends upwardly from the base portion 22. The socket portion 25 isgenerally cylindrical and is provided with a plurality of arcuatelyarranged openings 26 which are adapted to receive the terminal pins of atelevision picture tube. A central aperture 27 having an axiallyextending key way 28 is provided through the socket portion and isadapted to receive the locating pin of the picture tube base.

The particular socket illustrated is intended for use with a picturetube having a high voltage focusing anode which is received in thepin-receiving opening 26a. The socket portion 25 is provided withradially extending slots 29 on either side of the opening 26a which mayreceive a barrier wall provided on the tube base to surround the highvoltage focusing anode or which may provide an air gap insulation forthe high voltage anode. Similarly, the base portion 22 is provided witha radially outwardly extending tab portion 30 which supports thedownwardly extending generally U-shaped high voltage barrier wall 31(FIGS. 2 and 5). It is to be understood, however, that the invention mayalso be used with sockets which are not provided with the high voltagebarrier wall or the tab portion 30 and which are generally circular.Such sockets are commonly used on black and white picture tubes.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, the socket portion 25 is provided with agenerally cylindrical bore 32 in axial alignment with each of theopenings 26 and a recess 33 extending radially outwardly from each bore32. A plurality of generally L-shaped metal contacts 34 are received bythe socket body, and each metal contact 34 includes a generally tubularportion 35, a clamping portion 36, a sleeve portion 37, and a connectingportion 38. As can be seen best in FIG. 3, the tubular portion 35 ofeach of the metal contacts 34 is received by a bore 32 and is adapted toreceive and engage a terminal pin of the picture tube which is insertedthrough the opening 26. The sleeve portion 37 and clamping portion 36serve to connect the metal contact to a lead wire 39 provided for eachof the terminal pins and which extends through a slot 40 in the sidewall 24 of the socket which is aligned with the radially extendingrecess 33. As is well known in the art, the sleeve portion 37 is crimpedabout the bare wire strands 39a of the lead wire, and the clampingportion 36 is crimped about the covering insulation 3% of the wire.

The sleeve portion 37 abuts the wall 41 which separates the bore 32 fromthe recess 33, and the clamping portion 36 may be spaced slightly fromthe bottom of the recess. The sides of each recess 33 are defined byvertically extending walls 43, and the distance between the side walls43 is designed so that the contact may float or move somewhat within therecess in a direction transverse to the plane of the L-shaped contact topermit self-alignment of the tubular portion 35 with the terminal pin ofthe picture tube.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 8, the socket body is seen to beprovided with a generally planar back surface 44 which is interrupted bythe bores 32 and recesses 33 and the central aperture 27. Relatively shot support studs 45, 46, 47 and 48 extend away from the planar backsurface 44 between selected pairs of adjacent recesses 33, andrelatively elongated locating studs 49, 50 and 51 extend from the planarback surface between other pairs of recesses 33.

Referring now to FIGS. 36, the socket 20 includes a back plate 53 whichis also formed of suitable insulating material and may advantageously beformed of the same material as that of the socket body 21. The backplate 53 is seen to include a generally circular central portion 54, agenerally planar back surface 55 and a tab portion 56 having a shapesimilar to the shape of tab portion 30 of the socket body. The backplate is provided with a central aperture 57 having a key way 58 whichare aligned, respectively, with the central aperture 27 and key way 28of the socket body, and a generally U-shaped slot 59 for receiving thehigh voltage barrier wall 31 of the socket body. The back plate has aflat front surface 60 which is defined by a perimetric side wall 61 anda generally cylindrical aperture wall 62 extend away from the fiatsurface 60 to provide an arcuate channel 63. The perimetric side wall 61includes circumferentially spaced pegs 64 which are spaced anddimensioned to be received by the slots 40 provided in the socket bodythrough which the lead wires 39 extend.

An opening 65 is provided in the fiat front surface 60 of the back platein general radial alignment with each of the pegs 64 intermediate theside wall 61 and the aperture wall 62. Each of the openings 65 is ingeneral axial alignment with one of the metal contacts 34 positioned inthe socket body, and an elongated generally cylindrical conducting pin66 is received by each opening 65. The particular pins illustrated aregenerally cylindrical in shape, and the outside diameter of the pin endreceived in the opening 65 is approximately the same as the diameter ofthe opening so that the pin is received snugly therein and securedagainst transverse movement. The other end of each conducting pin isflared outwardly as at 67, and the length of each pin is such that theflared end 67 firmly engages a metal contact 34 (FIG. 3) when the backplate is positioned in place on the socket body.

An annularly shaped conducting plate 70 is positioned within the channel63 of the back plate between the flat front surface 60 of the back plateand the planar rear surface 44 of the socket body. The conducting plateis interrupted or opened as at 71 (FIG. 5) to permit the plate to beinserted over the barrier wall 31 of the socket body, but it is to beunderstood that if the socket were not provided with a barrier wall, theconducting plate 70 could be made in a circular or ring shape. Theconducting plate is provided with a plurality of spark gap openings 72which have a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of thecylindrical conducting pins 66. First locator stud openings 73, 74 and75 are provided in the conducting ring between selected pairs ofadjacent spark gap openings 72 and have a diameter approximately thesame as the diameter of the locating studs 4951 of the socket lbody.Second locator stud openings 76, 77, 78 and 79 of slightly smallerdiameter than the locator stud openings 7375 are provided in theconducting plate between other pairs of adjacent spark gap openings. Oneof the ends of the conducting plate is provided with a radiallyoutwardly extending finger 80 extending along one side of the barrierwall 31 and terminates in an end portion 81 which extends into the slotof the U-shaped barrier wall.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 10 and 11, the back plate 53 includes locatorstuds 82, '83, 84 and which are adapted to be received by the secondlocator stud openings 76-79, respectively, in the conducting plate. Thelocator studs -82-85 and the conducting pin 66 are seen to be locatedalong approximately the same are approximately in the middle of thechannel 63. As can be seen best in FIGS. 10 and 11, the locator stud 83is seen to include a generally cylindrical base portion 83a and agenerally cylindrical end portion 83b of reduced diameter. The diameterof the end portion 83b is approximately the same as the diameter of thelocator stud opening 77 in the conducting plate, and the end portion isrelatively snugly received by this opening. The radially enlarged baseportion 83a is larger than the locator stud opening and spaces theconducting plate away from the flat front surface 60 of the back plate.The locator studs 82', "84 and 85 are similarly provided with enlargedbase portions and radially reduced end portions which are relativelysnugly received in their respective locator stud openings 76, 78 and 79,and the conducting plate is thereby positioned within the channel 63 andspaced from the front wall 60 of the back plate. The annular conductingplate is seen to have an outside diameter slightly less than the insidediameter of the side wall 61. and an inside diameter slightly greaterthan the outside diameter of the aperture wall 6 2 so that theconducting plate is spaced from. the sides of the channel 63.

The position of the locator studs 82-85 and the openings 65 for theconducting pins 66 are correlated with the positions of the locator studopenings 76-79 and the spark gap openings 72 in the conducting plate sothat when the conducting plate is received by the locating studs 82- 85,the spark gap openings 72 will be concentric with the cylindricalconducting pins which are positioned within the openings 65 in the backplate (FIG. 9). The spacing 86 (FIG. 9) between the periphery or outsidediameter of each conducting pin 66 and the periphery of the associatedspark gap opening 72 of the conducting plate defines the spark gap foreach of the picture tube terminals, and, since both the conducting pins66 and the conducting plate 70 are held by the back plate againstmovement in a direction parallel to the plane of the conducting plate(transverse to the axis of the conducting pin), the dimensions of thespark gaps remain constant. The diameter of each opening 72 can bevaried depending upon the breakdown voltage, i.e., the voltage at whicharcing will occur, which is desired. The diameter of the particularspark gap openings 72 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9 is slightly greaterthan the diameter of the flared end portions 67 and the conducting pins,and the conducting plate can be positioned on the locator studs 82-85after the conducting pins 66 are positioned in their locating holes 65.If the desired breakdown voltage is such that the spark gap openings 72are smaller than the diameter of the flared end portions 67 of theconducting pins, the conducting pins can be inserted into theirrespective locator openings aftter the conducting plate is positioned onthe locating studs. Alternatively, the flare if the conducting pin couldbe reduced or eliminated.

After the conducting pins 66 and the conducting plate 70 are positionedon the back plate 53, the back plate 53 can be secured to the socketbody 21. Referring to FIG. 6, the back plate is provided with locatorstud openings 87, 88 and 89 which are adapted to receive the elongatedlocator studs 4951, respectively, of the socket body, and the locatorstud openings 73-75 of the conducting plate will be aligned with thelocator stud openings 8789 of the back plate when the conducting plateis secured thereto. As the back plate and conducting plate are movedtoward the socket body, the elongated locator studs 49-51 passrelatively snugly through the locator stud openings in the conductingplate and back plate and position the conducting pins-66 relative to thecontacts 34 which are held by the socket body. When the back plate andsocket body are brought together, the pegs 64 which extend from the sidewall of the back plate are received by the slots 40 in the socket bodythrough which the lead wires pass, and the back plate and socket bodyare further locked against relative rotational movement.

As the back plate is pressed against the socket body, the flared ends 67of the conducting pins engage the metal contacts 34 (FIG. 3).Preferably, the radial position of each conducting pin is such that theflared end of the pin engages the clamping portion 36 of the associatedmetal contact to provide a relatively large contacting area therebetweenso that the conducting pins and metal contacts will remain in electricalengagement even if the contacts move somewhat in a direction transverse:to the axis of the conducting pin. Some transverse floating movement ofthe contacts is desirable to permit the contacts to align themselveswith the terminals of the kinescope tube. The tubular portion 35 of thecontact may move slightly toward or away from the back plate as thesocket is positioned on or removed from the kinescope tube, but thismovement will not affect the electrical engagement of the metal contactwith the conducting pin. Excessive axial movement of the contact awayfrom the conducting pin is restrained by the recess wall 41.

When the perimetric side wall 61 and the aperture wall 62 of the backplate engage, respectively, the perimetric side wall 22 and the flatsurface 44 of the socket body, the ends of the locator studs 49-51 willextend beyond the back surface 54 of the back plate (FIG. 2), and theback plate and socket body can be secured by welding or heat sealing theends of the studs to the back plate. If desired, the tab portion 56 ofthe back plate can also be welded to the barrier wall 31 as at 90.

When the back plate is secured to the socket body, the support studs45-48 on the socket body (FIGS. 3 and 4) support the conductor plate '70and maintain the conductor plate well spaced from the contacts 34. Theaxial spacing of the conducting plate from the contacts will always begreater than the spark gap spacing provided between the periphery ofeach conducting pin and the associated spark gap opening of theconducting plate, and arcing will not occur from the metal contactsdirectly to the conducting plate even though no insulator is interposedbetween the conducting plate and the metal contacts. Rather, arcing willoccur between the conducting pins and the conducting plate. We believethat superior results are obtained by providing the spark gap between.rounded surfaces such as the periphery of the spark gap openings 72 andthe tubular pins 66 than by providing the spark gap between relativelysharp or pointed edges or flat-faced surfaces.

The conducting plate is seen to be supported within the channel 63 inair, and the suports for the conducting plate provided by the supportstuds 4548 on the socket body and enlarged base portions of the locatorstuds 82-85 on the back plate are spaced away from the spark gapopenings. Arcing will therefore occur directly through air from theconducting pins to the conducting plate, and breakdown.

or carbonization of insulating or dielectric material which may resultin tracking is substantially or completely prevented. The air gapprovides a dielectric for arcing which is recoverable and which willprovide repetitious results, i.e., constant breakdown voltages.

The conducting plate may be connected to ground or to a lower potentialthan that of the metal contacts which receive the terminal pins of thetelevision tube by wire 91 which can be soldered or otherwise connectedto the conducting plate, and a spark gap for the high voltage focusinganode which is received by the terminal-receiving opening 26a isprovided by the finger portion of the conducting plate which extendsalong one side of the high voltage barrier wall 31. The voltage at whicharcing from the metal contact associated with the high voltage focusinganode will occur can be varied by varying the length of the fingerportion 80 and the end portion 81.

The breakdown voltage of each spark gap is determined by the spacingbetween each conducting pin and the periphery of the associatedconducting plate opening. The desired spacing can be very accuratelyregulated because both the conducting plate and the conducting pins aresecured to the same reference pointthe back plate. The size and locationof the spark gap openings and locator stud openings in the conductingplate can be very precisely controlled by perforating the openings by apunch press. The back plate and socket body can be molded, and the sizeand relative positions of the locating openings 65 for the conductingpins and the locator studs 82-85 and 49-51 can also be very preciselycontrolled by the molding die. The die of the punch press and the die ofthe mold can be correlated to ensure that the assembled socket willprovide the desired performance.

If the spacing between the ends of the support studs 46 and the radiallyenlarged portions of the locator studs 8285 (e.g., 83a) is greater thanthe thickness of the conducting plate, the conducting plate can move ina direction generally perpendicular to the plane thereof or in the axialdirection of the conducting pins. However, axial movement of theconducting plate along the conducting pins will not change the sparkgap, and the locating studs 4951 and 82-85 will always maintain theconducting plate in the desired spark gap relationship to the conductingpins.

Since the locator studs 49-51 on the socket body pass through both theconducting plate and the back plate, these studs also position the sparkgap openings in the conducting plate relative to the conducting pins,and the end portions of the locator studs 8285 could be eliminated. Byusing both sets of locator studs, however, the conducting plate is fixedrelative to the back plate adjacent every spark gap opening, and eachspark gap is thereby very accurately maintained.

While in the foregoing specification, a detailed description of aspecific embodiment of our invention was set forth for the purpose ofillustration, it is to be understood that many of the detailshereingiven may be varied considerably by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. A kinescope tube socket comprising (a) a socket body formed ofinsulating material and provided with a plurality of terminalpin-receiving openings,

(b) a metal contact within said socket body for each of the terminalpin-receiving openings, one end of each of said metal contacts adaptedto receive a terminal pin of a kinescope tube,

(c) a back plate formed of insulating material secured to said socketbody,

((1) a metal conducting plate interposed between said socket body andsaid back plate and spaced from said metal contacts, said conductingplate being provided with a plurality of openings,

(e) a plurality of elongated metal conducting pins, each pin extendinglongitudinally from the back plate through an opening in the conductingplate to a metal contact, each pin being in electrical engagement withthe metal contact and being substantially anchored against transversemovement by the back plate, the periphery of each pin being spaced fromthe periphery of the associated conducting plate opening to provide aspark gap.

2. The socket of claim 1 in which said conducting plate openings aregenerally circular and said conducting pins are generally cylindrical,the outside diameter of each pin being less than the diameter of theassociated conducting plate opening.

3. The socket of claim 1 including an insulated lead wire for each ofsaid metal contacts, each metal contact including a sleeve portioncrimped about the lead wire in electrical engagement therewith and anenlarged clamp portion crimped about the insulation of the lead wire,each of said conducting pins engaging the enlarged clamp portion of theassociated metal contact.

4. The socket of claim 1 in which said metal contacts are movable in adirection generally parallel to the plane of the conducting plate, eachof said conducting pins being generally cylindrical and having anoutwardly flared end electrically engaging the associated metal contactto maintain electrical engagement with the contact as the contact moves.

5. The socket of claim 1 in which the conducting plate is provided witha plurality of locating stud openings and the back plate includes aplurality of locating studs, each locating stud extending toward thesocket body and being snugly received relatively by a locator studopening in the conducting plate whereby the conducting plate ispositioned relative to the conducting pins.

6. The socket of claim 5 in which each of said locator studs includes abase portion and an end portion, the end portion being received by alocator stud opening in the conducting plate and the base portionengaging said conducting plate and spacing the conducting plate from theback plate.

7. The socket of claim 1 in which said socket body includes a pluralityof support studs extending toward the back plate and engageable with theconducting plate to space the conducting plate away from the metalcontacts.

8. The socket of claim 1 in which the conducting plate is provided witha plurality of locating stud openings and the socket body includes aplurality of locating studs, each locating stud extending toward theback plate and being received relatively snugly by a locator studopening in the conducting plate whereby said conducting plate ispositioned relative to the conducting pins.

9. A picture tube socket comprising (a) a socket body formed ofinsulating material, said socket body having a generally planar baseportion and a socket portion extending from the base portion andprovided with a plurality of terminal pin-receiving openings,

(b) a generally L-shaped metal contact within said socket body for eachof the terminal pin-receiving openings, one end of each of said metalcontacts adapted to receive a terminal pin of a picture tube,

(c) a back plate formed of insulating material secured to the socketbody,

((1) a metal conducting plate interposed between the socket body and theback plate and being provided with a plurality of openings generallyaligned with the metal contacts,

(e) support means on the socket body engageable with the conductingplate for spacing the conducting plate away from the metal contacts,

(f) a plurality of elongated metal conducting pins, each conducting pinbeing relatively snugly received by an opening in the back plate andextending longitudinally through an opening in the conducting plate to ametal contact, each conducting pin being in electrical engagement with ametal contact and the periphery of each conducting pin being spaced fromthe periphery of the associated conducting plate opening to provide aspark gap,

(g) and locating means on the back plate for positioning the conductingplate relative to the conducting pins whereby the spark gaps between theconducting pins and the associated conducting plate openings aremaintained relatively constant.

10. The socket of claim 9 in which said locating means includes aplurality of locating studs extending from the back plate, each locatingstud being received relatively snugly by a locating stud opening in theconducting plate.

11. The socket of claim 9 including support means on the back plateengageable with the conducting plate for spacing the conducting plateaway from the back plate.

12. The socket of claim 9 in which said locating means includes aplurality of locator studs extending from the back plate, each locatingstud including a base portion and an end portion, the end portion beingreceived relatively snugly by a locator stud opening in the conductingplate and the base portion being engageable with the conducting platefor spacing the conducting plate from the back plate.

13-. The socket of claim 9 in which the socket body includes a pluralityof locator studs extending through openings in the conducting plate andthrough openings in the back plate whereby said conducting plate andback plate are positioned relative to the socket body.

14. A kinescope tube socket comprising (a) a socket body formed ofinsulating material and provided with a plurality of terminalpin-receiving openings,

(b) a metal contact within said socket body for each of the terminalpin-receiving openings, one end of each of said metal contacts adaptedto receive a terminal pin of a kinescope tube,

() a layer of insulating material secured to the socket body,

(d) a metal conducting plate interposed between the socket body and theinsulating layer and spaced from the metal contacts,

(e) a plurality of elongated metal conducting pins, each pin being inelectrical engagement with a metal contact and extending adjacent to butspaced from the conducting plate to provide a spark gap, and

(f) connecting means on the insulating layer for maintaining theconducting plate and each conducting pin substantially fixed relative toeach other whereby each conducting pin substantially fixed relative toeach other whereby each spark gap spacing is maintained substantiallyconstant.

15. A kinescope tube socket comprising (a) a socket body formed ofinsulating material and provided with a plurality of terminalpin-receiving openings,

(b) a metal contact within said socket body for each of the terminalpin-receiving openings, one end of each of said metal contacts adaptedto receive a terminal pin of a kinescope tube,

(0) a lead wire electrically connected to each of the metal contacts,

((1) a layer of insulating material secured to the socket body,

(e) a metal conducting plate interposed between the socket body and theinsulating layer and spaced from the metal contacts,

(f) a plurality of elongated metal conducting pins,

each pin being electrically connected to a metal contact and extendingadjacent to but spaced from the conducting plate to provide a spark gap,and

(g) means on the insulating layer engaging the conducting plate andconducting pins for maintaining each conducting pin and the conductingplate fixed relative to each other and for supporting the adjacent sparkgap-providing portions of each conducting pin and the conducting platein air away from the insulating layer and the socket body whereby eachspark gap spacing is maintained constant and arcing between eachconducting pin and the conducting plate occurs in air.

No references cited.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner P. A. SACHER, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

@73 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,553,727 Dated January 5, 1971 Inventofls) Bruno J. Leimontas and EdsonM. Paradise It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

r- In claim 14, column 9, lines 23-24, omit "each conducting pinsubstantially fixed relative to each other whereby".

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of March 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.'FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

